A stunning 4-1 win over Birmingham at Wembley Stadium earned the Blues their first FA Cup triumph, adding a new trophy to their collection which already boasts two Continental Tyres Cup and a league crown.
First-half strikes from Lucy Bronze, Izzy Christiansen and Carli Lloyd handed the FA WSL champions an unassailable lead to ensure Charlie Wellings’ strike proved a mere consolation. Jill Scott completed the scoring with ten minutes remaining to cap another memorable day in sky blue.
What happened…
In their first appearance at Wembley, manager Nick Cushing had asserted his side were not in attendance to simply enjoy their day out. That mentality was in evidence from the off.
With City eager to gain an early advantage, they laid siege to the Birmingham goal early on, with the ever-dangerous wing duo of Nikita Parris and Mel Lawley causing havoc.
The deadlock was broken on 17 minutes as the in-form and influential Megan Campbell whipped a free-kick into the six-yard box where Bronze was the first to connect, heading past FA Semi-Final Player of the Round Ann-Katrin Berger.
Though a right-back, the England star is in red-hot scoring form and continued her impressive streak of scoring in the biggest games.
The lead was doubled seven minutes later as Bronze won back possession in the final third, dispossessing Paige Williams and assessing her options before floating the perfect cross for Christiansen to run onto and convert expertly.
Birmingham, who had been limited to long-range attempts, were shell-shocked but City did not stop there.
Lawley forced Berger into a fine stop at her near post before the Blues bagged a third just after the half-hour mark.
Campbell was the architect once more, curling a superb first-time cross to the backpost where Lloyd and Steph Houghton were waiting to pounce. The USA star – on the turf where she netted two in the Olympic final victory in 2012 – connected first and City were in dreamland.
Houghton almost added a fourth after the break but headed a Lawley corner wide whle Parris was denied by Berger, who tipped her effort around the post.
Ellen White went closest for Birmingham, letting fly from distance but Karen Bardsley gathered at the second attempt.
Toni Duggan – hat-trick heroine on Tuesday night – was thwarted by Berger at the near post before Wellings reduced the deficit on 73 minutes with an arrowing first-time finish into the far corner.
City would have the last say though as Duggan was unleashed down the left. The striker teed up international teammate Scott who rode a challenge before smashing into the top corner to put the icing on Jen Beattie’s birthday cake.
Team notes…
Cushing made five changes to the side that defeated Bristol 3-0 in the FA WSL Spring Series on Tuesday, opting to field a mixture of youth and experience.
Bardsley took her place in goal, shielded by a backline of Demi Stokes, Campbell, Houghton and Bronze.
Keira Walsh occupied the defensive midfield role behind Christiansen and Scott, while Lawley and Parris operated on the wings and Lloyd led the line upfront.
